William J. Booth

Characterization of an antiglycoprotein Ib monoclonal antibody that specifically inhibits platelet-thrombin interaction.

Platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) acts as a high-affinity thrombin binding site and as a receptor for von Willebrand Factor (vWF). A new anti-GPIb monoclonal antibody (mAB) VM16d was produced that specifically inhibited platelet-thrombin but not platelet-vWF interaction. The epitope for VM16d was located within the 45 kDa N-terminal region of the alpha-chain of GPIb. VM16d inhibited platelet aggregation induced by low dose thrombin (0.05 U/ml) but did not affect platelet aggregation induced by ristocetin, bovine vWF, ADP or collagen. The same inhibitory effects on thrombin-induced platelet aggregation were observed with the whole IgG molecule of VM16d and its F(ab)2 and F(ab) fragments. VM16d also inhibited 14C-serotonin secretion induced by low dose thrombin and binding of 125I-thrombin but not ristocetin-dependent binding of 125I-vWF to platelets. These data indicate that the high-affinity thrombin binding site is located on the N-terminal 45 kDa domain of GPIb and that it is topographically separated from the vWF binding site.

Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor has potent lectin activity

Highly-purified plasma and platelet Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor had potent lectin activity when measured in a haemagglutination assay. This lectin activity was inhibited by monoclonal and heterologous antibodies to Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor as well as by hexosamines, mannose and net-positively charged amino acids.

Evidence for a platelet membrane defect in the myeloproliferative syndromes

Bleeding and abnormal platelet aggregation occur in patients with myeloproliferative disorders. In this study, twenty patients were examined, some sequentially, and a proportion found to have defective aggregation toward adrenaline, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and collagen. In these seven patients, the abnormality in platelet response with defective collagen-induced [14C]serotonin release correlated with poor collagen-stimulated thromboxane B2 (TXB2) production. In contrast, five of these patients showed a normal threshold aggregation response to arachidonic acid. The combined results suggest that in these patients, there is a defect between receptor-stimulus coupling and the mobilization of arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipid.

Platelet thrombospondin haemagglutinin activity is due to aggregate formation

Thrombospondin released from human blood platelets by thrombin activation formed high molecular weight aggregates which co-eluted with haemagglutinin activity on Sepharose 4B gel filtration. Thrombospondin aggregation was mediated by intermolecular disulphide bridges. The aggregates consisted of a series of oligomers ranging from a dimer to polymeric forms with Mr congruent to 40 X 10(6). Native monomeric thrombospondin obtained by a modified procedure was deficient in haemagglutination activity but inhibited haemagglutination induced by aggregated thrombospondin.